1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water sports attire and in particular to a surfing wet suit garment designed to be concealed under and removably attached to a pair of shorts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Much of the surfer""s time is spent paddling the board in order to attain proper positioning for catching and riding waves. When the water and/or air is relatively warm, surfers generally prefer to wear only a bathing suit and/or a pair of board shorts.
Wet suits are required when the weather and/or water temperature is cooler. Wet suits are suits made of thermally insulating rubberized material, generally designed to fit close to the body, and adapted so that a thin layer of water exists between the suit and the wearer""s body. The suit once wet, does not exchange much water, thus the thin layer of water adjacent the wearer""s body provides an insulating function.
Prior art U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20020023283, issued Feb. 28, 2002 to Kania, discloses an article of apparel designed to be worn by divers and swimmers which is formed by placing a prefabricated male mold inside a prefabricated female mode. Then a polymeric material is injected into a gap formed between the male mold placed inside the female mold. Also included is a built-in air bladder system to change the buoyancy of the diver and swimmer.
Prior art U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20020026664, issued Mar. 7, 2002 to Grounds, provides a garment for use in water sports that is designed to protect one or more vulnerable regions of a person""s body considered susceptible to injury associated with repetitive contact with a hard surfboard surface. The invention comprises a body garment that has an inside surface and an outer surface; and one or more than one cushioning pad connected to the body garment. The cushioning pad or pads are disposed adjacent the inside surface, or the outer surface, or the inside surface and the outer surface, and positioned in juxtaposition to the one or more than one vulnerable region of the body, and one or more than one insert pad for insertion into one or more than one pocket. The vulnerable regions may be optionally selected from the group consisting of the body area in proximity to the ribs, upper hips, elbows, inner elbows, knees, ankles, front of ankles adjacent the feet, and lower back.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,749, issued Aug. 20, 2002 Grounds, shows a garment for use in water sports that is designed to protect one or more than one vulnerable region of a person""s body considered susceptible to injury associated with repetitive contact with a hard surfboard surface. The invention comprises a body garment that has an inside surface and an outer surface and one or more than one cushioning pad connected to the body garment. The cushioning pad or pads are disposed adjacent the inside surface, or the outer surface, or the inside surface and the outer surface, and positioned in juxtaposition to the one or more than one vulnerable region of the body, and one or more than one insert pad for insertion into one or more than one pocket. The vulnerable regions may be optionally selected from the group consisting of the body area in proximity to the ribs, upper hips, elbows, inner elbows, knees, ankles, front of ankles adjacent the feet, and lower back.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,437, issued Mar. 28, 2000 to Barker, claims a waterproof thermal insert for outdoor sport pants. The insert is sewn into the rear of a pair of pants from the belt line to the region between the middle of the thigh to the back of the knee, from each outside seam to inside seam, and from the inside seam to the crotch. The insert is composed of three layers: an outside layer of water repellent, closed cell foam neoprene; a middle layer of a synthetic, thermal insulating fabric, such as Outlast.RTM. Zermatt; and an inner layer of a soft, flexible material, such as polar fleece. The three layers are sewn together. If additional protection is desired at the sewn seams, the seams may be heat-sealed with an overlay of thermoplastic tape. Alternatively, the insert may be composed of two layers: an outside layer of water repellent, closed cell foam neoprene; and an inner layer of a composite fabric combining a synthetic, thermal insulating material with a soft, flexible material, viz., Outlast.RTM, Glacier or Outlast.RTM, Glenpile.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,328, issued Jul. 22, 1997 to Martin, describes a garment for wearing while In-Line Skating that comprises a pair of loose fitting outer shorts and form fitting inner shorts. Both shorts have padded portions to absorb the impact of a fall when landing on the hips, buttocks and or coccyx. The impact protection is provided by a fixed pad in the inner shorts and by removable pads that fit securely into pockets on the rear portion of the outer shorts. The outer shorts also providing abrasion and cut protection by utilizing highly abrasion resistant fibers in the rear section.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,288, issued Feb. 6, 2001 to Kibbee, indicates a garment anchoring system and method. A body armor vest is anchored at the waist of a wearer by providing an elastic lower garment, preferably in the form of a legged brief type undergarment that snugly fits the lower torso of the wearer. The lower garment anchors the vest in place by attaching along a strip across the front and back of the vest at the waist. The lower garment distributes an elastic force that horizontally and vertically returns the vest, when pulled out of position by the movement of the wearer, to its intended position, with the waist level thereof centered at the front and back of the wearer""s waist. Detachable fasteners are provided to allow the easy putting on, adjustment and removal of the vest and lower garment combination. With the legged brief version of the lower garment, the fasteners preferably include strips of hook and loop material sets at the front and back of the waist on the vest shell and lower garment. The lower garment, particularly the legged version, is particularly adaptable to use in a kit for anchoring bulletproof vests as well as other garments.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,411, issued May 15, 2001 to Vinay, puts forth a fashionable life saving device that utilizes the look of casual clothing such as shorts, pants, bathing suits or shorts to disguise inflatable chambers. The invention comprises a gas canister, safety devices including a manual inflation tube, thereby providing a subtle way to ensure safety in and around the water. When inflated, the chambers rest under the user""s arms, but are safely attached to his waist or the lower part of his body for security and safety.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,966, issued Jul. 11, 1967 to Slavik, concerns a form-fitting garment in the nature of a pair of trousers. The garment made from rubber, neoprene sponge or a similar material is suitable for use as an article of skin diving apparel, foul-weather gear or the like. In the manufacture of garments such as skin diving pants and the like, designed to be used for active sports or work, provide protection to the wearer against cold surrounding water or weather. It is desirable that the garment fit the contour of the wearer""s body as closely as possible, for both freedom of action and for efficiency of insulation.
What is needed is a wet suit garment that can be worn under surfing shorts to allow a much longer time in the water while surfing in waters not requiring a full wet suit while still maintaining the preferred style of surfing shorts.
An object of the present invention is to provide a wet suit garment that can be worn under surfing shorts to allow a much longer time in the water in comfort while surfing in waters not requiring a full wet suit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an outerwear pair of short pants that covers the wet suit garment, so externally the wearer can maintain their preferred style of surfing shorts or if desired have small portions of the wet suit underpants garment visible above or below the outerwear short pants.
One more object of the present invention is to provide an interconnecting means, including mating hook and loop fasteners for a removable connection or sewn-in stitches, adhesive lamination, adhesive tape lamination, heat lamination, plastic welds, rubber welds, blending of the outerwear short pants fabric with the wet suit underpants garment for a permanent connection, which interconnecting means may be located around a portion of the waist, the pelvic covering portion or the thigh covering portion of both garments so they are capable of remaining interconnected during water sports activity.
An additional object of the present invention is to attach the smooth loop portion of the mating pair of hook and loop fasteners to the inner waist portion of the pair of outerwear short pants allowing the short surfing pants to be worn comfortably without the wet suit underpants garment.
A further object of the present invention is to attach at least a portion adjacent to a bottom of the thigh covering portion of the wet suit underpants and the outerwear short pants so that the outerwear short pants are restrained from sliding on the wet suit underpants garment while a user is sitting on a surfboard.
A corollary object of the present invention is to attach a lower circumference encircling each of the thigh covering portions to keep water from ballooning up the outerwear short pants legs.
One additional object of the present invention is to provide a wet suit underpants garment fabricated of a material having a resilient binding quality so that the wet suit underpants garment is adapted for support and protection of a wearer""s genitals.
Another additional object of the present invention is to provide a wet suit underpants garment which may be fabricated of a variety of materials including a material selected from the list of materials including a Neoprene material with a soft lining, a fleece material, a synthetic fabric, a wool material, an insect material, an animal material, a plant fabric.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of outerwear short pants capable of covering and concealing from view the wet suit underpants garment or revealing a top or bottom portion as desired.
Yet one more object of the present invention is to help prevent chafing and skin rash by having the wet suit underpants garment under surfing shorts.
In brief, a wet suit undergarment and surfing shorts combination that allows a wearer to stay a much longer time in the water while surfing in waters not requiring a full wet suit while still maintaining their preferred style of surfing shorts. The combination comprises a wet suit underpants garment formed of insulating material capable of covering and conforming to the body of a wearer from their waist to their thighs. The wet suit underpants garment traps a thin layer of water between itself and the wearer""s body, thereby maintaining the temperature of the thin layer of water similar to the temperature of the body of the wearer. The combination further comprises pair of outerwear short pants capable of covering and concealing from view the wet suit underpants garment. An interconnecting means, which may be a removable hook and loop fastener connector or permanent connector such as sewn-in stitching or welds or adhesive laminates or a blending of materials, is located around at least a portion of the waist, and possibly the pelvis covering portion and thigh covering portions of both garments. The interconnecting means is capable of securing the wet suit underpants garment to the pair of outerwear short pants so they are capable of remaining interconnected during water sports activity.
In the hook and loop connector version, the smooth loop portion of the mating pair of hook and loop fasteners is attached to the inner waist portion of the pair of outerwear short pants allowing the short surfing pants to be worn comfortably without the wet suit underpants garment. The surfing shorts are secured on the wearer with a tie string means. Preferably, the interconnecting means on waistband of the wet suit underpants garment and the surfing shorts are attached around the waistband up to the tie string means.
An advantage of the present invention is in providing a way for the wearer to stay in the water longer without wearing a full wet suit.
Another advantage of the present invention is the wearer can maintain their preferred style of outer surfing shorts.
An additional advantage of the present invention is the surfer shorts conceal the wet suit underpants garment or reveal a small portion at the top or bottom as desired.
One more advantage of the present invention is the surfer shorts and the wet suit underpants garment can be interconnected temporarily or permanently.
An added advantage of the present invention is that bottom stitching of the two pants together prevents the outerwear short pants from riding up when worn sitting on a surf board and from ballooning with water in action.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the surfer shorts can be worn without the wet suit underpants garment.
Yet one more advantage of the present invention is to help prevent chafing and skin rash while surfing.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide support for the genitals of the user.